


It's All In The Eyes

by Rotan



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: F/M, natsumi inoue, thywiltedrose
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-30
Updated: 2016-09-30
Packaged: 2018-08-18 18:40:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8171866
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rotan/pseuds/Rotan
Summary: Natsumi Inoue, a nomad from a dying tribe, is interested in becoming a Hunter. In the eyes of her newfound friends, she sees hope for adventure, aspirations of grandeur and charity, desire for freedom from a cage of despair, and most notably...
Eyes withholding the desire for vengeance.





	

        The Hunter Exam.

        Many found it to be an opportunity to become rich, famous, or have the capability to do as they please without fear of consequence.

        It was a deadly practice that often killed hundreds upon hundreds of potential Hunters, quite literally. It was by no means child’s play, and any amateur who believed for even a second that it was going to be easy would most likely be sorely mistaken. Of course, there were rare occasions of seasoned killers and fighters going in prepared for the worst and coming out unscathed. But the sheer amount of idiots who enter without realizing what they’re getting into completely overwhelms that percentage.

        Becoming a Hunter was quite the benefit for a number of reasons. You could get jobs easier, those of which had a high pay, and you’d get access to restricted parts of the world. Research and exploration were no issue. Funding for your personal projects were a piece of cake. In essence, it was quite worth the risks you had to take to gain that license and rank.

        It was spectacular.

        It was astounding.

        It was perfect for someone with high aspirations.  
  
        And it was exactly what Nat hoped to acquire as she exited the elevator into a large cave-like tunnel and accepted the badge that marked her as the seventy-seventh applicant. 

 

*** * ***

 

        The woman breathed a sigh, soft and too gentle for most to hear it.

        How long did they plan to keep her and everyone else waiting? There were so many people—nearly four hundred, if her estimates were correct. She’d also been keeping track of the numbers on each badge as their ranks increased. The more people attended, the more competition she’d have. She was already well aware of how hard acquiring this license will be. This will only make her chances further slim.

        Yeah, her sigh was very well justified.

        Taking out a piece of candy, she quickly popped it into her mouth and watched as the man named “Tonpa” preyed upon another group of newbies. He had this weird fixation with trying to screw with any rookie exam takers, herself included. Not that she’d fallen for it. She read his aura like a book, and all it told was he was attempting to deceive her. She doesn’t know what he’d done to those drinks, but it certainly wasn’t good.

        Nat quickly found herself becoming disinterested in his affairs and instead turned to examine the other applicants, careful not to make eye contact. That usually led to confrontation, and as much as she loved making friends, she doubted that most of these creeps were people she wanted to ally herself with.

        Absentmindedly, Nat popped another candy into her mouth, having finished the last one. She had a particular sweet tooth, and due to a childhood addiction, she felt a constant need to consume sugar-oriented items. She could stop if she wanted to. But that’s the thing—she doesn’t want to. And she’s not sorry. Bwahaha.

        Suddenly and out of nowhere, a shock of aura hit her like a ton of bricks. She was visibly shaken, though she was quick to mask it and act like she’d simply slipped. What the hell was that? Oh god, don’t tell me—

        Yep.

        That guy was nearby.

        Again.

        When Nat had entered the exam hall, she’d immediately noticed the presence of a particular man. He was very stupid looking—flamboyant hair, obnoxious clothes, and the expression of someone who was about ready to butt-rape you. She didn’t know his name, and she didn’t care to know. He was nothing more than Number Forty-Four to her. It was his aura that really concerned her. The bloodlust was as plain as day, but that wasn’t all there was to it. Hell—if that’d been all she’d felt, she wouldn’t be nearly as worried. But his aura had such a strong presence. She had no doubt that he was seasoned in the use of Nen. Not the kind that her tribe had taught, but the kind that people more often use for fighting and selfish gain—the kind that Nat disliked the most.

        His aura was dangerously awful.

        And he had just now nearly knocked her off her feet because she hadn’t expected him to suddenly be this close to her. It’s not like he’d been sneaking around or anything. She’d just been too distracted to even notice his movement. After all, she’s not all that present as of currently, since she had nothing to do but wait.

        And waiting was a boring task.

        Now composed, Nat found herself wandering away from the area in which Hisoka resided, her cloak billowing behind her all too elegantly. Seriously, you’d think she was trying to look like some royal or something with how it swayed and danced, just like one of those manga protagonists.

        Oh well.

                                            * * * 

        A boy with silver hair stared up at the woman in boredom.

        But a glint of interest shown in those cerulean orbs.

        Because she was strong—that much was obvious. The two of them were strong, all for different reasons. Both were relaxed, unconcerned with one another. Perhaps they were equal, or one was unknowingly stronger. They would never know for sure unless they decided they wanted to duke it out—an unlikely event. They recognized each other as strong, that much was obvious. They had no reason for brawling, so it was a mutual appreciation of one another’s power.

        “You seem cool,” the boy commented, noting her mellowed vibes. It was clear she was someone of intrigue, someone to note as perhaps a later ally. "What’s your name?“

        "Nat,” was the woman’s response, tone soft. “And thank you. You’re not too bad yourself,” she chuckled. “What about you? What’s your name?”

        “Killua.”

        Their conversation seemed dull from a distant perspective, but they needed not words to form a sense of comfort between each other. Neither one considered the other a friend just yet. But their wavelengths were similar—both had undergone harsh circumstances, ended up scarred, and turned out with cool, controlled attitudes and more strength than they probably wanted or needed.

        Words weren’t necessary for these two.

        It was obvious.

        “Well, I’m gonna go look around and see if I can find any interesting people to annoy. You game?” Nat inquired, passing Killua an amused glance as she turned to leave.

        “Nah, I’m good. I think I’ll just go find somewhere to hang until the exam starts.”

        Nat laughed. “Alright, squirt. See you ‘round, then.”

        The Inoue could hear Killua’s grumbles about being called a “squirt” from a distance and simply chuckled under her breath. An amusing child, that one was. She’d definitely remember him. Perhaps even meet up later. She wondered if he suspected she was even seventeen. She knew quite well that she looked a few years younger—at least fourteen. It was strange how her appearance refused to mature, but she’s long since stopped caring.

        _Oof._

        Looking down, Nat found a blonde male laying on the ground, probably having been knocked down by their impact.

        “Whoops, sorry about that, dude,” she apologized, offering the poor guy a hand. He wore weird tribal clothes and some sort of track suit or something underneath. She didn’t recognize the designs on the tabard, so she couldn’t pinpoint which clan he’d descended from. Not that it really mattered. Nat was just a curious person.

        The male accepted her hand and reassured, “That’s alright. It was an accident, I’m sure." 

        "You okay?” Nat was concerned. She didn’t want to accidentally injure someone before the exam even began. Drawing attention to one’s self in a death game was not exactly the best plan unless you were ridiculously powerful.

        “Yes, I am fine. Do not worry.”

        He sounded incredibly formal, like he didn’t know how to chill out. Maybe Nat should try to change that, bwahaha.

        “Yo, what’s your name? I’m Nat.”

        The blonde hesitated, as if unsure of whether or not disclosing his name was a worthwhile effort. Then, softly, he answered, “Kurapika.”

        Nat grinned at him lazily, offering a hand. Nat noticed how long and nimble her fingers looked as she held it out—it was a trait she’d never been able to shake, one that always creeped her out. To her surprise, when he reluctantly accepted her handshake, his hands were of the same nature—long and nimble. The type of hands perfect for piano playing, her mother once told her.

        Shaking the idea of her mother from her head, Nat released Kurapika’s hand after a not-too-long shake and hoped to flash him an expression of friendly warmth. “It’s nice to meet you, then, Kurapika.”

        “Likewise to you, Nat,” he returned, responding positively to the warmth she expressed. She’d long since learned how to create an atmosphere of welcoming peace around her—one that others simply couldn’t refuse. Not to manipulate, of course. She just wanted people to feel at ease around her, and she had perfected the art of manipulating her aura to make people feel such positive feelings. It wouldn’t go so far as to make them like her, but it’d certainly make her an easier to trust type of person.

        If only she could trust others as easily as others trust her.

        Upon inspecting Kurapika, she noticed he wasn’t anything special. Plain, perhaps girly in appearance. No strength Nen-wise. Not to mention that his physique wasn’t anything special, so she doubted he was too terribly gifted in the arts of fighting. But the intelligence that twinkled in his grey-brown eyes are what caught her interest. He may not be strong, but he’s smart. Very smart. The same kind of smart that she’d seen in Killua not even ten minutes ago.

        She could use a smart ally.

        “Say, Kurapika? Have you got any allies yet?” Nat inquired, her tone casual. “'Cause if you wouldn’t mind, I’d like to team up. You seem like a cool dude.”

        His eyes betrayed his obvious conflict at trusting someone he’d just met. After all, she could be an enemy. For all he knew, she was out to get him, and this was all an elaborate scheme to mess with him. But the feel of her aura was what seemed to be winning him over. She didn’t feel bad—she could see those words cross his mind through his eyes, and through his aura.

        He could trust her.

        Worked like a charm.

        “I… suppose I wouldn’t mind. You seem strong, so this could be mutually beneficial.”

        Nat wanted to laugh. He could sense the strength within her, could he? Perhaps he could. After all, everyone had the capability to feel one’s aura despite not having opened themselves up to the world in such a way quite yet. Strength wasn’t always worn on one’s sleeve, but as always, their eyes could betray how they felt, their strength, and even their intentions. 

        The only time to truly fear a person is when you cannot see their soul through their eyes.

        Nat clapped her hands together happily. “Thank you! I promise I won’t let you down. After all, having such a cute guy like you die on my watch would be quite the tragedy.”

        Nat’s comment seemed to fluster Kurapika, if only a little. “C-Cute-? I wouldn’t say I’m—”

        “Nonsense! You’re an adorable little cookie! You should—”

        Before Nat could finish her teasing, a young boy and a mature-looking male sauntered up to the couple, both interested in the conversation that engaged Kurapika so.

        Ah, these must be Kurapika’s allies. She could see the trust they held for their friend in their eyes.

        It looks like Nat had found her designated alliance for the length of the exam, though Killua was not forgotten. She would meet up with him again, surely. She was still very interested.

        But for now, she would indulge herself in these three.

        Her new friends.

        For now.


End file.
